December 12, 2011 at 5:00 PM - Work Session and Regular Meeting of the Board of Education

Discussion:  Lost Creek Principal Jeff Bartels said in the past five years, the school has increased their enrollment by 100 kids, and free space in the building is becoming limited. Mr. Bartels also presented data information for Lost Creek. Morning Walk – PE teacher Jon Tomasevicz said the idea is to get kids to exercise more. Lost Creek staff are currently hosting three teachers from Wayne State College where the students spend a semester helping in the classroom and then student teach the second semester.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said he and Mr. Waite met with CEA again, and the first three meetings have focused on cleaning up language in the Master Agreement.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said the district is looking at a biometric system for clocking in and out. This new system can export all data into the finance software system. The current attendance system and Kronos, is very old and requires a lot of people to do data entry.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz and Mr. Kwapnioski went to Lincoln and Hastings last week to look at portables. The portables are from 2000-2007, and the asking price is $7,500 a piece. An estimated cost to move them to Columbus will be $12,000 a piece plus an additional $15,000 for carpet, paint, constructing ramps, stairs and other things.

Discussion:  Ken Curry read the Mission Statement.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said there were 34 mid-term graduates.

Discussion:  Jodi Prochaska from Kruse, Schumacher, Smejkal and Brockhaus has been involved with the CPS audit for 10 years. The district received a clean opinion and unqualified opinion, which means everything is in order. She said this year there were no internal control deficiencies. Prochaska said the new accounting software has helped with the internal control issues.

Discussion:  CHS Principal Steve Woodside said there were a few changes this year. Woodside said CHS is participating in a pilot College and Career Ready Program with six other districts in the state. All juniors will be tested on the ACT. Woodside said any more, students need a certain amount of college. Curry wanted to make sure the district wasn’t forgetting about the manufacturing jobs. Woodside said when talking about college, this includes the two-year colleges. He said there are a lot of skills students need to learn.

Discussion:  The rate will be $250.00 an acre. Dr. Loeffelholz said there was no official agreement last year, and the tenant paid $220.00 an acre. The district researched that the going rate should be between $250.00-$300.00 an acre. This agreement is good for one year.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said this will replace Kronos. Kwapnioski said over the past three years, the software package from Kronos kept changing and the costs rising. He said this will better fit the needs of the district.

Discussion:  Band Director Jeff Peabody said the drumline was originally scheduled to go to Denver but now can’t so the group wants to compete in the competition in Minneapolis. He said the trip is a week later, and some Nebraska groups will be going.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said he is recommending that the district fund $363,373 dollars for early retirement in 2012-2013. He said this would allow for all second year retirees to be guaranteed the incentive, and give first year people the opportunity to retire this year or next year with their payment being divided over two years. He said he is also recommending that after the 2012-13 school year early retirement will no longer be funded. Right now money for early retirement is coming out of the general fund. He said the board can bring back early retirement at any time. He said if the board does bring it back, he will recommend coming back with a flat fee. Early retirement will be brought back to the board every year.

Discussion:  Each participant will pay $11,000 for the grant writer’s salary. The amount received in grants this year was $200,000 for all groups. Dr. Loeffelholz said from the district’s perspective, it was a worthwhile investment.

Discussion:  Dr. Loeffelholz said the administration did not have enough time to review it first.